title: Epigenetic down regulation of nerve growth factor during alcohol withdrawal.
abstract: We investigated the Cytosin-phosphatidyl-Guanin (CpG) island promoter methylation (mean and methylation of individual CpG-sites) of the nerve growth factor (NGF) gene in the blood of alcohol-dependent patients (57 male patients) during withdrawal (days 1, 7 and 14). Methylation and NGF serum levels did not change significantly from days 1-7. From days 7-14, mean methylation increased (F = 30.55, P < 0.001), whereas the NGF serum levels decreased significantly (days 7-14: F = 17.95, P < 0.001). The NGF serum levels were significantly associated with the mean methylation of the investigated CpG-sites (F = 1.55, P < 0.001). These results imply an epigenetic regulation of the NGF gene during alcohol withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hanover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, Germany. heberlein.annemarie@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heberlein
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muschler
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eberlein
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gröschl
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor